Rotating device



Dec. 31, 1957 A R. w. GRAHAM 2,818,051

ROTATING DEVICE Filed nec. 21, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTOQN Dec. 31, 1957 R. w. GRAHAM 2,813,051

ROTATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 21. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'www' ||||W//////// ATTORNE nited States t attentl z,s1s,os1

norArlNG DEVICE Robert W. Graham, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assigner to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application December 21, 1954, Serial No. 476,692

`12 Claims. (Cl. 123-90) This invention relates to devices for imparting progressive rotation to relatively reciprocating and rotatable members such as, for example, poppet valves and their guiding or supporting structures in internal combustion engines.

The invention in its broadest -aspects concerns a coil spring having a plurality of convolution with partions of adjacent convolutions slidably coa-cting during flexure of the spring to rotatively drive the respective ends of the spring relative to each other.

More specifically, the invention has as its object to provide an improved rotating device for reciprocating elements such as engine poppet valves, and employing a spring of the aforementioned type as a means for imparting a positive rotative force to the valve during one direction of its axial movement, together with connecting means between said spring and the valve Ior other associated part of the engine whereby such rotative force is utilized in vonly one direction aboutthe valve axis.

A further object of the invention is to improve the valve rotating device of Leach Patent 2,613,656 by the addition of the aforesaid spring and connecting means and thereby obtain a positive rotative force without dependence therefor on the inherent winding and unwinding action of the main valve return coil spring of conventional type as disclosed in said patent.

The means by which these and other Objects of the invention are carried out will be readily apparent from the following description of various structural embodiments illustratedin the drawings wherein:

` Figure 1 is a transverse view of a portion of an internal combustion engine with parts broken away and in section, showing one form of my device applied for effecting valve rotation.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Figure 1, showing the parts in greater detail in the valve closed condition.

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 except with the parts shown in the Valve open condition. `r

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the rotator spring and the ratchet toothed end engaging members shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 5 shows -a modified form of the invention.

Figure shows a further modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to the Figures l-4, the numeraly 1 designates generally the frame rof an internal combustion engine of the valve-inhead type including a cylinder block 2 and cylinder head 3. Guided for reciprocation and rotation by a bushing 4 fixed in the cylinder head is the stem 5 of a poppet valve 6 which normally closes communication between the en-k giney combustion chamber 7 and the valvel port 8. Valve reciprocating means as illustrated includes a rocker 9 oscillating about a spherical bearing 10 formed as the head of a studl 11 extending lixedly from the cylinder head. @ne end` of the rocker 9 is actuatable by a push rod 1.2,

ice

and the other end of the rocker actuates the stem 5 of the valve, causing it to move downwardly from its closed position shown in Figure 1 to its open position in which the port 8 and combustion chamber 7 are connected.

Lubrication for the surfaces of the rocker, and its bearing surfaces on the push rod 12, stud 11 and valve stem 5 may be supplied in any desired manner, however, as illustrated such is supplied by the oil gallery 13 in the cylinder head which connects with drilled passages 14 and 15 in the stud. Oil from the engine lubricating pump (not shown)'may thus flow through the oil gallery 13 and the passages 14 and 15 to the upper surfaces of the rocker 9 and thence be carried by the oscillating movement of the rocker to the aforementioned bearing surfaces. Excess lubricating oil is permitted to drain through the enlarged aperture 16 in the rocker, through which extends the stud 11, down on to the cylinder head 3 and from there through such passagesas 17 surrounding the push rod to the inlet of the pump via the engine crankcase (not shown). Movement of the valve in the opening direction is opposed by a conventional coil spring 18 or any other return means for biasing the valve closed. One end of this coil return spring is connected to move with the valve stem 5 through a conventional retainer in the form of a washer 19 fixed to the stem by split locks 20 in a manner well known to the art. The opposite end of the spring 18 reacts against the cylinder head 3, being spaced therefrom by the valve rotating device designated generally by the numeral 24 and now to be described.

As shown in Figure 2, the rotating device 24 includes a retainer member 25 on which is seated the lower end of the coil spring 18 and rests, in turn, on a Belleville spring 26 abutting an annular surface 27 on the cylinder head about the valve guide 4. The retainer member 25 is of generally washer-like form having its central portion upraised to form a housing 28 about a second coil spring 29. This second coil spring is preferably made of rectangular section wire and has a plurality of convolutions including its respective end convolutions 30 and 31 which thrustably abut opposing clutch surfaces formed on the inner upper wall 32 of the housing and a ring 33 seated on the cylinder head surface 27. As shown, these clutch surfaces comprise oppositely presented ratchet teeth 34 and 35, respectively, which are engaged by the pawl-like terminating ends 36 and 37 of the end convolutions 30 and 31, respectively, of the second coil spring 29. The arrangement is such that the upper ratchet teeth 34 prevent rotation of the retainer member 25 in a counterclockwise direction (looking axially downward of the valve as viewed in Figure 2) relative to the second spring 29, and the lower ratchet teeth 35 prevent counterclockwise rotation of the second spring 29 relative to the ring 33 and the cylinder head 3.

At least one pair of adjacent convolutions of the second spring 29 are crimped at one or more places about their circumference to effect a Wave-like or undulated form. These undulations 38, as best shown in Figure 4, are of such length and are in angularly staggered relation to each other between convolutions, so that they present slidably coacting cam surfaces. Also, it is to be noted that the coacting cam surfaces extend helically of the axis of the spring with a helix angle greater than the general helix angle of the convolutions in which they are formed.

The lower ratchet toothed ring 33 is operatively fixed to the cylinder head, as by press fitting it over the valve guide 4. Under normal conditions, that is with the valve closed as shown in Figure 2, the Belleville spring 26 has a dished configuration such that its upper and lower end faces 39 and 40 are radially divergent to the under side of the retainer 25 and the cylinder head surface 27, respectively. Both the Belleville spring 26 and cient stir'fnessin combination.tolmaintain.theretainen 23 5 in its upraised position Aoh 'Figuren 2.e againstltherthrust: of the spring 18 in the v-alveclosedcondition. A n y A n n During operation, oilwhichnormally coatsthesurface of thecylinder head is,introducedfbetween.,the,retainer 25 and the upper surfacerofthe,.Bellevillespring .wheni 10 they arein their divergent `relation of Figure 2. Asthe Belleville 4spring 26 deectsrurider.'increased..`loadfrom the main spring 18 during valve.openingits upper. surface 39 becomes parallel with .the underside lof fthe. supporting retainer 25, resultingin 'the oil therebetweenbeingJno-A` 15 mentarily trapped. This trapping of :theloil between those surfaces provides lubrication which suiciently reducesthe frictional engagement of the retainer withBelleville spring to enable the retainer- `to freelyA rotate, about the valve stem. Rotation of the retainer is eiected by the second20 spring 29 andtitsundulations 38 which slidably coact'with each other, causingthe upper. pawl en`cl`36toI drivably engagethe retainer c'lu'tch teeth' 34 whilethe lowerpwlcd 37 is restrai'ndfr'om rotating, byfthe' teeth,v 35. ontheffing 4 result that rotation of the valve is produced during its closing movement instead of during opening.

Shown in Figure 6 is a modification of the Figure 5 construction wherein the second spring 229 is similarly wound to that of the first described spring 29, and its upper and lower pawl forming ends 236 and 237 engage ratchet teeth 34 and 35 `respectively which provide rotation of the valve during'its.openingstroke The operation of this form of the invention is otherwise the same as that oflFigureS.

4It is to be noted'tthat inboththe FigureS'andFigure' 6 forms there is no utilization of an oillm` surface totime the portions of I'the valve :reciprocating cycle during which the second spring is ,effective to impart rotation. Thus, in both Figures 5 and 6, vrthereissometentlency to obtain a retrograde rotation of the valve during the ratcheting stroke, which is prevented in the previous form of Figures t 1f4f-bynthe rnetal-A to Imetal, engagement'` ofthe .Belle,ville spring-.with the cylinderffhead -andalowerl spring `retainer 25. vstHowever, such` lretrograde Arotatiomas .will occur in the rforms4 of Figures'S and-6,1 as-the result offriction tending to prevent the pawls from ratcheting over theirlteeth,

willbe foundto be substantially less 4than,the-,extent'fof 33. Such rotationanddeection of,theBellevillespring,

andthe `secndfspring.29 coritiriue'sluntilthe valy 'reaches its fully open .condition of Figure3,'iwhereupori1the; oil previously; trapped betweenlthe 'retainer member; 2s 'and the Belleville spring willhave bee,substantially-squeezed out allowing-their abutting'surfaces toffrictinally re`- 30 engage` e'acliu other. `Such1`frictional engagement continues as the valve Ybeginsl its' return or npward's't'rokep 'venting rotation of the retainerf`25 whilethe'pwlsfofhhe second spring'.29 are free to ratchet over thelttee'thlviA and as thefspringA 29 and 'theBellevil le Aspring regain'their 35 initial configurations. 'AlthoughtheBellevlll-spring as shown in"ligure` 3 does"not haveitsbottomv end faccentirely parallel` with thecylinder head abuttin'g'surface27 in the valve open condition, `the"Belle`villeV- 'spring "may be selected of. such strength astobel fullyllat so as tomate Q40 with the 'cylinder head surfacel27` at"thistime. 'In the latter event," the retainer member' 25 niayhavelits under` surface slightly," divergent ,to'the juppertacla39f of the Belleville`,'spring inthe v'alve fully"openlconditio n, or this retainer under surface rmay, be of 'sfuch eohtiguration" as 45 to also conform to the'Belleville'npper 'face' ,simultaneously with the"Belleville,`lowerface-confrmingwitlithe cylinder head'sur'face 27.

spring 18"seats` atits lower-edtlireetlyontthesurface 27-50 secondspring1 1129 again bears on`a ring''33and has a pawl 55 positive rotation` during the rotherfhalf,of.thesoyclerland the extended lengthof the secondgspringwithits greater rotatingstroke` will ensure that positive'rotation-:inscire direction will always exceed the Vretrograde rotation.

Although-only certain preferred embodiments .of the invention have. beenA illustrated-and described, .it Ais;`,ap preciated` that Avarious rninorV modications of-.the parts may bekmade .without departing' from the spiritand scope ofthe `invention .as ydefined `in the .following claims.

I;elaim:

1. A coil spring having a plurality of convolutionsin rotativecamming relation with each other during axial exure .ofthespring,.and .one-way rotary` clutch means operativelyassociated with..said` springfor transmitting rotative movements of said convolutions relative to each other.

2. 'Ahelical `coilspring having a, plurality. ,of` axially adjacent convolutions with coacting surfaceportionsin rotative camming engagement witheachotherduring axial n contraction of the spring, and one-way rotaryclutch tions each witha pluralityof,circumferentially,.spaced undultions,`the undulati'ons of each said convolutiortbeingin angularly staggered relation to'those of its adjacent` convolution'about thev axis of the spring in' its relatively relaxed condition, the circumferentially most adjacent un- .dulations ofla'djac'ent convolutions' being cammin'glyengagea'bleswith' each other to effectl their relative"rotation4 about the spring axis in response to inc'reasedloading of thespring`,and one-way rotary clntchwmeansoperatively associated with said spring for transmitting rotative'movements` of Asaid `convolutions relative to each other.

spring. As `r`shown, 4the second s'pring 11291 in `this `modification is lv'et'appositelylwound `to lthat-offthe previouslydescribed spring 529; andthei uppermnd lower "clutclr teeth 134andf 135- are -in oppositelypresnting relationtoth'osc of i the. previously desc:ribedteeth'i 34y andi 35; respectively. 65

4x' In combination, a coil spring having oppositely extending pawl-forming ends, relatively reciprocating'members having' jspring. axial loading,I surfaces in` respectively oppositerrotar'y"oneeway ratcheting engagement withsaid vtspring ends.

. bers havingfend terminating pawls iin one-way rotary drivwith compression ofrthesmain springf during valve opening movements. Due :tot the ercviersevfwindin'g of this: second spring ,129nand thegreverse direction :of: the` :ratchet etceth, thepawlsrliaiid `llkjareV free to`=slip 4over their respective teeth vcluringx.valvesopeningT movements, .andi engagea: the

teeth onlyfduxingtherivalveiclosing movementsgfwitlx' thefll ing'engagement with said teeth and4 having a plurality of convolutions'intermediate its ends, each with pcircurnferen ti'ally spaced undulations 'rotatably camming on the' undulations offits adjacentwconvolution to timpartrotationhto' t z one", of" said, pawls ArelativeY to fthe other', about l-the' vretiring axis.

Aidavice for:insertionthmstwiseubaween i-two Ltdatively reciprocated and rotatable members to impart progressive rotation to one of the members relative to the other during reciprocation, including elements iixedly associated with said members, said elements having annular surfaces mutually facing each other axially of the axis of rotation of said members, said surfaces being radially toothed to accommodate ratcheting movement of pawls thereon in respectively opposite directions about said axis and prevent such movement in reverse directions, and a helical coil spring resiliently spacing said members and terminating at its ends with oppositely directed pawls engaging said toothed surfaces, said spring having a pair of adjacent normally spaced convolutions with cam portions coacting with each other to rotatively move said pawls relative to each other about said axis in the direction to drivingly engage said teeth as said members approach each other along said axis.

7. A device for insertion thrustwise between two relatively reciprocated and rotatable members to impart progressive rotation to one of the members relative to the other during reciprocation, including elements txedly associated with said members, said elements having annular surfaces mutually facing each other axially of the axis of rotation of said members, said surfaces being radially toothed to accommodate ratcheting movement of pawls thereon in respectively opposite directions about said axis and prevent such movement in reverse directions, and a helical coil spring resiliently spacing said members and terminating at its ends with oppositely directed pawls engaging said toothed surfaces, said spring having a pair of adjacent normally spaced convolutions with cam portions coacting with each other to rotatively move said pawls relative to each other about said axis in the direction to drivingly engage said teeth as said members move away from each other along said axis.

8. The combination with a poppet valve having a stem, means supporting the stern for axial rotation and reciprocation, and valve return means including a rst coil spring reacting at one end against said supporting means and a retaining means for the other end of the spring on the stem, of a second coil spring arranged substantially coaxially with the tirst spring and provided at its respective ends with pawls having opposite one-Way rotary bearing engagement with said supporting and retaining means, said second spring having a plurality of convolutions with coacting cam surfaces arranged to rotatively slide on each other about the stem in response to compression of said second spring during opening movements of the valve.

9. In combination, a poppet valve having a stern and valve return means including a coil spring, abutment means for one end of the spring and means supporting the stem for axial rotation and reciprocation, said spring having a plurality of convolutions including end convolutions thrustably bearing on said abutment and supporting means, respectively, each said end convolution terminating in a portion having ratchet engagement with said means on which its convolution bears to oppose their relative rotation about the stern in the direction tending to diametrically expand said end convolution while accommodating their relative rotation in the opposite direction, and coacting cam surfaces on at least one pair of adjacent convolutions of said spring engageable with each other during compression of the spring to impart relative rotary movement of the spring end portions about the stem in the direction accommodated by their said ratcheting engagement with the abutment and supporting means.

10. In combination, a poppet valve having a stem and valve return means including a coil spring, abutment means for one end of the spring and means supporting the stern for axial rotation and reciprocation, said spring having a plurality of convolutions including end convolutions thrustably bearing on said abutment and supporting means, respectively, each said end convolution terminating in a portion having ratcheting engagement with said means on which its convolution bears to oppose their relative rotation about the stem in the direction tending to diametrically expand said end convolution while accommodating their relative rotation in the opposite direction, and coacting cam surfaces on at least one pair of adjacent convolutions of said spring engageable with each other during compression of the spring to impart relative rotary movement of the spring end portions about the stem in the direction opposed by their said ratcheting engagement with the abutment and supporting means.

1l. In combination with a poppet valve, valve reciprocating means including a return spring having one end connected to move with the valve, a rigid member supporting the valve for reciprocation and rotation, a Belleville spring encircling the valve and abutting said rigid member, a seating member for the opposite end of said return spring abutting said Belleville spring, said Belleville spring having its end faces normally divergent to both said members and being yieldable under increased thrust of the return spring during valve opening to a deliected condition in which one of said end faces is in substantial parallelism with the abutting surface of one of said members, means for introducing lubricant between said Belleville spring one end face and said one member while in divergent relation, and means rotatively driving said members relative to each other about the valve in response to deflection of said Belleville spring during valve opening.

12. The invention dened in claim 11, wherein said said last-named means includes a coil spring thrustably interposed between and having its respective ends in opposite rotary driving and ratcheting engagement with said members, said coil spring having a plurality of convolutions including two axially adjacent convolutions each having a portion thereof crimped to helically cam the other rotatively about the valve as said adjacent convolutions approach each other with detiection of said Belleville and return springs under increased load during valve opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,250,585 Johnson Dec. 18, 1917 2,165,239 Douglas et al July 11, 1939 2,441,167 Raspet May 11, 1948 2,516,795 Norton July 25, 1950 2,613,656 Leach Oct. 14, 1952 2,653,587 Rasmussen et al Sept. 29, 1953 

